MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Mega Railroad Merger Could Reshape Freight Costs and Competition for Montana

  If approved, the merged railroad would handle more than 40 percent of all U.S. freight rail traffic, a level of consolidation that could influence rates and service reliability for shippers nationwide, including businesses and agricultural producers in Montana.

• 11 Of The Best Affordable Towns To Retire In Montana + 10 Where You can Live on $1200 a Month

  Montana is as rugged as it gets. It’s 147,000 square miles and includes landmarks such as Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, and Flathead Lake. The views are spectacular, and the weather can be tough, especially during the winter. But for retirees looking to spend their golden years among the wilderness with all the scenic beauty the state can offer, Montana never falls short.

• Growing evidence points to link between autism and wildfire smoke

  Two major studies have identified an alarming connection between exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy and higher rates of autism diagnoses in young children, a finding that carries serious implications for Montana where significant forest fires blanket communities in smoke almost every year.

• Historic Izaak Walton Inn Near Montana’s Glacier National Park to Close Due to LOGE Bankruptcy

  Its closure threatens reduced visitor spending, fewer employment opportunities, and added strain on small businesses already navigating seasonal fluctuations. At a time when Glacier National Park remains a cornerstone of the Montana economy, the loss of a historic, year round lodging hub underscores how financial instability at a single property can reverberate across regional tourism networks and impact the state’s broader economic health.

• Montana Department of Commerce Weekly Roundup – Volume 3, Issue 6

  The Weekly Roundup is a summary of events, news and information important to Commerce’s constituents this week. Click on any topic for more information.

Bear Paw Development Montana

• Bear Paw Development Annual Meeting Hosts Marta Bertoglio, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce – 2/26 – Havre

  “As we recognize and celebrate Bear Paw Development’s economic and community development work over the past year, including through the release of our Annual Report for 2025, we are very pleased that Montana Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio will be joining us to discuss the State of Montana’s efforts to enhance the economic competitiveness of rural Montana and the solid partnership that exists between state government and regional economic development organizations such as Bear Paw Development,” said Paul Tuss, Executive Director.

• The American made hemp shirt experiment starts in Fort Benton, Montana with IND Hemp and Smith & Rogue

  For the Montana economy, projects like this signal long term potential for agricultural based manufacturing growth, strengthening supply chains, encouraging entrepreneurship, and building resilience in communities such as Fort Benton that depend on steady economic opportunity.

Missoula, Montana Chamber of Commerce

• Missoula’s Targeted Economic Development District Workforce Housing Program Guidelines

  The purpose of Missoula County’s Targeted Economic Development Districts (TEDDs) is to use tax increment financing (TIF) to build public infrastructure that encourages economic development within the boundaries of those districts (e.g., industry, manufacturing, tourism, recreation, etc.).

Northwestern Energy

• NorthWestern Energy to provide free impact studies for up to 100 projects within our service area in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.

  NorthWestern Energy will provide the grants valued at approximately $1,500 each to fund eligible studies that are conducted by Circle Analytics.

• Data centers and Montana’s energy future – Northwestern Energy

  Data centers bring new jobs, tax revenue and long-term investment to towns and cities.

Big Sky Economic Development Montana

• Aquaponics in Action at Swanky Roots in Billings Brings Fresh Greens to Montana in Winter

  By producing food locally, Swanky Roots keeps dollars circulating within the Montana economy, supports local jobs in aquaponic farming, and reduces transportation and water costs associated with conventional agriculture.

Flathead Valley Community College Montana

• The Wachholz Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (WIEC) at the Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Montana

  We help entrepreneurs and innovators succeed in Northwest Montana.

• Three donations totaling $3.5 million expand trades education at the Flathead Valley Community College Trades Institute

  The gifts — $3 million from Gil and Joyce Lynch, $400,000 from Bill and Sue Schottelkorb, and $100,000 from Mike Kartsonis — will fund the first phase of facility expansion and renovations, as well as student scholarships in the trades.

Great Falls Montana Development Alliance

• GFDA Top Ten for 2-16-26

  We announced formation of the new regional defense advocacy effort, the Central Montana Defense Coalition.

• Nominations are now open for the Fire Within 2026!

  We are looking for women who:
  Have started or purchased and are running a business in North Central Montana.
  Have been in business over one year.
  Who are impacting our region with their goods and services.

  Submitting is easy. We want their name, business name, email, phone, and for you to tell us why you believe they should receive the Fire Within Award. You can nominate yourself! All submissions must be made prior to March 31.

Montana Business

• Farmers (and Ranchers) are aging. Their kids don’t want to be in the family business. The American Prairie Reserve Is an Option in Northern Montana

  For Montanan farmers and ranchers North of Fort Peck Lake, the implications extend beyond tradition and heritage to economic viability, recreational opportunities, public health, and community stability. Aging farming and ranchers with fewer successors could drive more land into consolidation under large agribusinesses, or, even worse, ownership by rich out of state entities that then close the properties to hunting and recreation in favor of “hobby ranches and private hunting reserves. The American Prairie is an excellent alternative.

• Montana Career Opportunity – Account Director – commonFont

  The Account Director is responsible for driving net-new revenue growth within an assigned region or vertical. This role blends direct sales execution with partner alignment, pipeline development, and disciplined prospecting. Account Directors own the full sales cycle — from creating early-stage demand to closing new clients — while also supporting key channel-driven opportunities and company events that accelerate market expansion. At commonFont, you’ll work with an exceptional team to shape the future of Customer and Employee experience. Our teammates are former professors, engineers, biologists, musicians, and more. We value inclusivity and the power of our diversity, and we are united…

Visit Montana

• Glacier National Park superintendent reiterates that there will be no Sun Road reservations this year

  The problem was that many people were already accessing the park outside the reservation system. They had various reservations already, whether it was campgrounds, hotels, boat tours, etc., or they were coming in early (before 7 a.m.) before park staff were there to enforce a reservation system.

Regional Economic Development

• Pinedale, Wyoming Greenhouses Grow 25,000 Square Feet Of Produce At 8,000 Feet Elevation – $10,000 Grant Helps Bozeman Area Greenhouse Expand

  Those glowing greenhouses in Sublette County aren’t just nice to look at. Silver Stream Farm’s 25,000-square-foot operation grows fresh produce at 8,000 feet and grew rapidly last year, from serving 63 direct customers in 2024 to more than 280 in 2025.

• Data center tax break proposal fails in South Dakota legislative committee

  At least 37 states offer some sort of data center incentive, ranging from sales and use tax exemptions to property tax abatements, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Montana’s American Prairie

• How federal micromanagement by its “Leaders” is undermining Montana’s prairie revival by The American Prairie Reserve 

  It’s time to let the buffalo roam—and stop letting bureaucracy stand in the way.

YOUR MONTANA CAREER

• As Maintenance Backlog Burdens Northwest Montana’s Public Land Managers, USFS Lays Plans to Hire Seasonal Workers

  Historic workforce vacancies, hiring freezes and budget cuts continue to have a negative impact on trails and public access. On Friday, months after seasonal hiring typically begins, national forest officials opened applications for the upcoming recreation season. Of the 20 positions available on the Flathead National Forest, 16 are dedicated to trails and recreation and four positions to resource management, such as timber, according to Friday’s announcement. Applicants can view open job announcements and submit applications through USAJOBS.gov. By Tristan Scott

Montana’s 21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Spring enrollment rates show consistent growth for University of Montana

  This spring marks the 11th consecutive semester of enrollment growth at UM, holding 11,064 enrolled students, including online, Missoula and Bitterroot College students.

• Three Reasons Why Momentum For 3-Year College Degrees Is Growing

  More states and colleges are climbing on board a rapidly accelerating train barrelling down the track toward accelerated bachelor’s degrees. This week Massachusetts became the latest state to signal it would consider pilot proposals for the offering of undergraduate degrees that students can complete in three years.

• Request for Volunteers for the $50,000 2026 University of Montana Ruffatto Startup Challenge (Please Share!)

  This year, we expect to receive 75-100 total submissions from student teams across the state.  We would be absolutely thrilled if you might be able to serve as an evaluator, judge, and/or mentor for this upcoming 2026 competition.

Montana Government News & Events

• Governor’s Energy Task Force to host public open houses in Butte 2/25, Miles City 3/25 and Colstrip 4/15

  According to the governor’s office, the open house format will allow attendees to speak directly with task force members, ask questions and provide feedback on energy-related topics. There will be no formal presentations. Staff from state agencies will be available to discuss their regulatory roles tied to energy development.

VR/AR, Blockchain, Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence, The Internet of Things and Montana

• Ring Kills Flock Safety Deal After Super Bowl Ad (Find Your Lost Dog) Uproar

  Following mounting pressure and a questionable Super Bowl ad, the Amazon-owned company walked back its plan to integrate with the controversial law-enforcement technology company.

Social Media, Connectivity & Communications in Montana

• A Wave of Unexplained Bot Traffic Is Sweeping the Web

  From small publishers to US federal agencies, websites are reporting unusual spikes in automated traffic linked to IP addresses in Lanzhou, China.

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